North Carolina DMV merger takes effect

North
Carolina's motor vehicle enforcement unit was switched to a new department
Jan. 3, WRAL television reported. The state Legislature approved the
move last year to address corruption allegations.

DMV enforcement
was under the state Transportation Department, but now falls within
the Highway Patrol's motor carrier division in the state Department
of Crime Control and Public Safety.

Crime Control
spokeswoman Renee Hoffman told the Asheville Citizen-Times the new office would be responsible for enforcing federal and state
trucking laws. The Highway Patrol will continue to enforce other highway
laws.

The merger of
the state's two highway enforcement branches was spurred by allegations
of corruption in the DMV enforcement section, which prompted both
state and federal criminal investigations.

A six-month Citizen-Times investigation revealed allegations of ticket-fixing, bribe-taking,
politicking on the job and selective enforcement of trucking safety
laws.